ABSTRACT
In the Norwegian health care system, resources worth several 100 millions of US dollars are tied up in traditional routines for handling forms. A standard form, combined with computer record systems, could potentially release a considerable share of these resources for alternative uses. Universal Form Medicine (UFM) has been used by Norwegian general practitioners since 1985. The Universal Form Medicine has been a stable standard, and replaces more than 95% of all health forms. Today, about 50% of all doctors with a computerized medical record system can use this standard form. From most aspects, the Universal Form Medicine has advantages over preprinted forms, and can be adapted to silent printers. To our knowledge, no other countries have taken the advantage of standardizing their medical forms.
